Rocket cluster divert and attitude control system

Abstract

A flight vehicle includes a nose portion, a fuselage retaining structure aft of the nose portion, and an axial motor for expelling axial thrust along a longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle. Radial motors are coupled to the retaining structure and axisymmetrically arranged about the axial motor. Each radial motor is configured to expel radial thrust radially outwardly in respect to the flight vehicle. Roll thrusters are operatively coupled with the radial motors and coupled to the fuselage retaining structure. The roll thrusters are configured to provide a roll moment of the flight vehicle about a central longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle. Ejectors are operatively coupled to the radial motors, and a controller is operatively coupled to the radial motors and the ejectors. The controller is configured to selectively fire and selectively eject the radial motors to maintain relative centering of a center of gravity of the flight vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A flight vehicle comprising:
 a nose portion; 
 a fuselage retaining structure aft of the nose portion; 
 radial motors coupled to the fuselage retaining structure and arranged about a central longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle, each radial motor for expelling radial thrust and including a tank and a nozzle coupled to the tank for directing the radial thrust radially outwardly in respect to the flight vehicle; 
 roll thrusters operatively coupled with the radial motors and coupled to the fuselage retaining structure, the roll thrusters for providing a roll moment of the flight vehicle about the central longitudinal axis; and 
 a controller operatively coupled to the radial motors and the roll thrusters, the controller being configured to selectively fire the roll thrusters and the radial motors to maintain control of a center of gravity of the flight vehicle. 
 
     
     
       2. The flight vehicle of  claim 1 , further including ejectors operatively coupled to the radial motors, the ejectors for ejecting the radial motors from the flight vehicle to further maintain control of the center of gravity. 
     
     
       3. The flight vehicle of  claim 2 , where the ejectors are operatively coupled to the roll thrusters. 
     
     
       4. The flight vehicle of  claim 3 , where the controller is operatively coupled to the ejectors, the controller configured to selectively activate the ejectors. 
     
     
       5. The flight vehicle of  claim 2 , where the controller is configured to selectively eject the radial motors to maintain relative centering of the center of gravity in respect to central longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       6. The flight vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of the nozzles of the radial motors are axially separated from one another. 
     
     
       7. The flight vehicle of  claim 2 , where the ejectors are configured to eject the radial motors axially outwardly in respect to the flight vehicle. 
     
     
       8. The flight vehicle of  claim 2 , where the ejectors are configured to eject the radial motors radially outwardly in respect to the flight vehicle. 
     
     
       9. The flight vehicle of  claim 1 , where the center of gravity is initially relatively centered prior to firing one or more of the radial motors or the roll thrusters. 
     
     
       10. The flight vehicle of  claim 1 , further including an axial motor for expelling axial thrust along a longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The flight vehicle of  claim 10 , where the axial motor is disposed centrally in relation to the radial motors, and the radial motors are disposed about the axial motor. 
     
     
       12. The flight vehicle of  claim 1 , where the nozzles are positioned to direct the radial thrust along radial thrust axes being substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle. 
     
     
       13. The flight vehicle of  claim 1 , where the radial motors are axisymmetrically arranged about the central longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle. 
     
     
       14. A method of controlling a center of gravity of a flight vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
 selectively firing an axial motor of the flight vehicle to expel axial thrust axially away from the flight vehicle along a longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle; 
 selectively firing a roll thruster of the flight vehicle to provide a roll moment of the flight vehicle, thereby aligning a radial motor in a direction to be selectively fired; 
 selectively firing the radial motor of the flight vehicle to expel radial thrust radially outwardly away from the flight vehicle, thereby adjusting a trajectory of the flight vehicle; and 
 selectively ejecting the radial motor to control the center of gravity of the flight vehicle in respect to a central longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of selectively firing another radial motor disposed substantially opposite the radial motor already fired. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of selectively retaining a spent radial motor disposed substantially opposite an unspent radial motor. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of selectively ejecting at least two substantially oppositely disposed radial motors to maintain relative centering of the center of gravity in respect to the central longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of selectively ejecting at least two substantially oppositely disposed radial motors includes substantially simultaneously ejecting the at least two substantially oppositely disposed radial motors. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of selectively firing another radial motor of the flight vehicle, where the second radial motor includes a nozzle for directing radial thrust expelled therefrom, and where the nozzle of the second radial motor is axially separated from a nozzle of the first radial motor, also for directing the radial thrust expelled therefrom. 
     
     
       20. A flight vehicle comprising:
 a nose portion; 
 a fuselage retaining structure aft of the nose portion; 
 an axial motor for expelling axial thrust along a longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle; 
 radial motors coupled to the fuselage retaining structure and axisymmetrically arranged about the axial motor, each radial motor for expelling radial thrust and including a tank and a nozzle coupled to the tank for directing the radial thrust radially outwardly in respect to the flight vehicle; 
 roll thrusters operatively coupled with the radial motors and coupled to the fuselage retaining structure, the roll thrusters for providing a roll moment of the flight vehicle about a central longitudinal axis of the flight vehicle; 
 ejectors operatively coupled to the radial motors for ejecting the radial motors from the flight vehicle; and 
 a controller operatively coupled to the radial motors and the ejectors, the controller being configured to selectively fire and selectively eject the radial motors to maintain relative centering of the center of gravity in respect to the flight vehicle.